Katich wishes Hughes well for Tests
Australia's dumped opener, Simon Katich, has said he has no ill feelings towards Phillip Hughes, as Australia prepare for their first Test series since Katich lost his contract this year
ESPNcricinfo staff
24-Aug-2011
Simon Katich has backed his New South Wales team-mate Phillip Hughes for the Test team • Getty Images
Australia's dumped opener, Simon Katich, has said he has no ill feelings towards Phillip Hughes, as Australia prepare for their first Test series since Katich lost his contract this year. Hughes is expected to partner Shane Watson in the first Test, which begins in Galle next Wednesday, and Katich said Hughes deserved the opportunity.
"I certainly don't hold any grudges against him. It's not (Phil's) fault," Katich told the Daily Telegraph. "He deserves to play for Australia and he was probably unfairly dropped himself during the Ashes in '09. He hadn't done too much wrong. He copped a couple of brutal spells from Freddie Flintoff in the first two Tests and paid the price. It was a pretty tough call on him then but he's obviously bounced back from that.
"He knows how to make runs. He knows how to make big scores. He's already made 16 first-class hundreds, which is no mean feat for a player of his age. I think he'll be better for the little off period he had last year. All batsmen go through it at some stage during their career. You have to adapt and get better and he'll do that, I have no doubt. Phil works hard and he's a good kid."
Katich, 35, hasn't completely given up hope of bouncing back himself, despite the clear message that the selectors were looking to the future when they left him off the 25-man contract list. However, since then the selectors themselves have been given a shake-up by the Argus review.
Andrew Hilditch's five-year reign as chairman is over and Greg Chappell, the national talent manager, won't have a seat on the new panel either. The captain, Michael Clarke, will become a selector, along with the coach, as part of a five-man selection panel.
"I was told four years ago they were never going to pick me again and I got back in so you never know," Katich said. "The same guys who told me that are no longer in their jobs so it's a bit ironic they've been given the flick. I have the same attitude I had four years ago. I'm just going to enjoy my cricket with New South Wales."